Overview
夏祭り (Natsumatsuri) is a cover of Jitterin' Jinn's enduring 1990 summer anthem, performed by the vocalist ろん (Lon) for the maimai rhythm game series. The original, written and composed by frontman Jinta Hashi and released as Jitterin' Jinn's fourth single on August 29, 1990, has become one of Japan's most recognizable summer festival songs, covered countless times across decades. Lon's rendition brings the track into the SEGA rhythm game ecosystem with a bright, faithful vocal delivery that captures the song's nostalgic longing for a summer love set against the backdrop of fireworks, cotton candy, and crowded festival streets.
The cover debuted in maimai PiNK PLUS on August 11, 2016, as a POPS & ANIME category entry. Its Expert chart was designed by 如月 ゆかり (Yukari Kisaragi), while the Master chart, which settled at level 11 after several version adjustments, was handled by しろいろ (Shiroiro). The track later crossed over into CHUNITHM AIR at that game's launch, making it one of the few songs playable in both SEGA arcade rhythm titles simultaneously. In Asian English-localized builds, the song appears under the title "NATSUMATSURI" with the artist listed as "Jitterin' Jinn [covered by Lon]."
夏祭り was removed from Asian maimai DX cabinets starting with the スプラッシュ (Splash) edition and from Chinese cabinets beginning with 舞萌DX 2021, making it a legacy track unavailable on current arcade builds. Lon's cover has never been released on any commercial soundtrack, adding to its status as a time-limited, in-game-only artifact.
Videos
Charts
Trivia
- Jitterin' Jinn's original 夏祭り was released on August 29, 1990 as the band's fourth single and remains one of the most beloved summer-themed songs in Japanese pop history, frequently played at festivals and covered by artists across multiple genres.
- The Whiteberry version of 夏祭り (2000) is famously featured in the Taiko no Tatsujin series as a staple beginner-level song, included in nearly every arcade release since the series' early days.
- Lon's cover of 夏祭り is unique to SEGA's rhythm game ecosystem and has never been commercially released on any soundtrack album or digital platform.
- Beyond maimai and CHUNITHM, various other cover versions of 夏祭り have appeared in Pop'n Music (from 17 MOVIE onward), jubeat (from ripples onward), and GuitarFreaks & DrumMania (from XG3 onward), though those BEMANI entries share a different cover recording.
- In the Asian English localization of maimai, the song's title is displayed as NATSUMATSURI and the artist as Jitterin' Jinn [covered by Lon].
- The song's in-game video was replaced with a static jacket image when the game transitioned to the maimai でらっくす (DX) platform.
- 夏祭り was delisted from Asian maimai DX cabinets starting with DX スプラッシュ (Splash), and from Chinese cabinets starting with 舞萌DX 2021, rendering it unplayable on current-generation hardware.
- REFLEC BEAT previously hosted a version of 夏祭り from November 2012 (colette winter) until September 2018, during the 悠久のリフレシア era.
- The Master chart underwent several level revisions across maimai versions, finally stabilizing at level 11 in maimai でらっくす スプラッシュ.
- The song's lyrics evoke nostalgic summer imagery, fireworks, the scent of hair, yukata, goldfish scooping, and cotton candy, as the protagonist watches a summer love fade into memory.
FAQ
- Who originally performed 夏祭り?
- 夏祭り was originally performed by the Japanese rock band Jitterin' Jinn, written and composed by frontman Jinta Hashi. It was released as their fourth single on August 29, 1990.
- Who covered 夏祭り for maimai?
- The maimai version of 夏祭り is covered by the vocalist ろん (Lon), whose rendition also appears in CHUNITHM. This cover has never been released on any commercial soundtrack.
- When was 夏祭り added to maimai and when was it removed?
- 夏祭り was added to maimai PiNK PLUS on August 11, 2016. It was removed from Asian cabinets starting with maimai DX スプラッシュ and from Chinese cabinets starting with 舞萌DX 2021.
- What difficulty levels do the 夏祭り charts have?
- In its final form, 夏祭り has four standard difficulty charts: Basic at level 4, Advanced at level 6, Expert at level 7 (designed by 如月 ゆかり), and Master at level 11 (designed by しろいろ).
- What is the BPM of 夏祭り in maimai?
- 夏祭り has a BPM of 141 across all its maimai charts.
- Does 夏祭り appear in other rhythm games besides maimai?
- Yes, Lon's cover also appears in CHUNITHM AIR. Other cover versions of 夏祭り have appeared in Taiko no Tatsujin (Whiteberry version), Pop'n Music, jubeat, GuitarFreaks & DrumMania, and formerly in REFLEC BEAT.
- What is 夏祭り about?
- The lyrics describe a nostalgic summer festival memory, watching fireworks with a loved one, the scent of their hair, goldfish scooping, and cotton candy, as the singer reflects on a summer romance that has since faded into a distant dream.
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